


I think this time I'm dying (I'm not melodramatic)

by IsleFlightlessBirds



Series: Real Life Minecraft [1]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: DON'T SHIP REAL PEOPLE, Dream and Techno are friends, Everyone Lives Together, Gen, Ghosts, Minecraft, Minecraft is real life, Other, Technoblade protects TommyInnit, You can't respawn, but it gets better, death is permanent, dream team, everyone is sad, irregular updates, only platonic shipping, sleepy bois inc - Freeform, title from Saline Soultion by Wilbur Soot, trust me - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:14:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 9,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25817860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IsleFlightlessBirds/pseuds/IsleFlightlessBirds
Summary: The dead aren't supposed to come back.They especially aren't supposed to be able to communicate with a 16-year-old.OrTechnoblade and Dream have to adapt to some pretty big changes.
Relationships: Clay | Dream & Dave | Technoblade, Clay | Dream & GeorgeNotFound & Darryl Noveschosch & Sapnap, Clay | Dream & TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Dave | Technoblade & TommyInnit, Dave | Technoblade & Wilbur Soot & Phil Watson, Wilbur Soot & Technoblade & TommyInnit & Phil Watson, Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit
Series: Real Life Minecraft [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1873240
Comments: 250
Kudos: 2319





	1. The Forest Screams

A joyous cry fills the forest.

"To defeat me, you must train another 100 years!" 

A grunt.

Metal meets metal.

The men continue their intricate dance, pink meeting green.

They slowly wind down their sparring match.

"Oh, Techno~" 

The chase begins.

Thunderous footsteps echo throughout the trees.

Dodging low hanging limbs and deep holes in the soft soil. They pant heavily, limbs aching.

_Thunk_

A cry of surprise.

_Thud_

"Techno?"

Heavy breathing.

_Thunk_

An arrow.

A pain-filled shout.

_Thud_

The forest is silent once again.


	2. There's a Reason For Everything

Wilbur wouldn't stop pacing, and it was getting on his nerves.

"Wilbur, I'm sure they're fine. It's Techno and Dream we're talking about, they probably got carried away with sparring. And they are the best fighters in the village, they'll be fine."

Philza tried to reason with the taller man, only to be interrupted by an indignant cry from the other room.

"Hey! I'll have you know I beat Techno in a duel last week!" Tommy exclaimed. 

Wilbur sighed wearily, "Yes Tommy, we know. That's only the 20th time you've told us."

"And I'll tell you twent-"

Tommy was interrupted by banging on their front door.

"Come in!" Philza and Wilbur yelled together.

George and Sapnap entered the kitchen, looking worried. 

"Has anyone seen Dream?" George asked.

"No. We haven't." Wilbur answered, shooting a glare at Philza. "When was the last time you saw him?"

"Right before he went sparring with Techno. He had to restock his potion supply, so roughly six hours ago."

Tommy walked into the kitchen and sat down at the counter. He waved at Sapnap and George before entering himself into their conversation.

"Aren't they usually back before sundown?" He inquired, pointing out the window to where the sun had already begun to set.

Wilbur resumed his pacing, before stopping suddenly.

"Tonight's a full moon, they'll be too many mobs for the two of them to fight off. What if they are stuck somewhere?"

George and Sapnap exchanged a glance, before nodding. 

"We'll give them 15 minutes. If they aren't back by then we'll go looking for them. They probably got distracted."

"And who'll go with you?" Philza questioned, "You two may be the best trackers in the village, but it'll take you forever to search the entire forest."

Tommy jumped up in his chair, "Take me, George!"

"Tommy, no, you're too young."

"I'm 16! Not a child!" Tommy whined, before stomping his foot on the ground.

Wilbur huffed a laugh, before rustling Tommy's hair. "Of course not, Tommy. You aren't a child, but you still act like a toddler." 

"Hey!" Tommy squawked, angerly.

George and Sapnap smiled at the exchange.

"Would you be willing to come, Philza? I'll see if Bad can come, too."

Philza nodded.

"Oh come on! I'm much more responsible than you, Phliza."

"Tommy, just yesterday you almost shot yourself in the foot while shooting targets. You should stay with Wilbur in case they come back while we are gone. You can come next time." 

Tommy glared at him but kept quiet.

Sapnap turned to leave. "Meet at the well in ten minutes. We'll get Bad " George followed him out the door.

"See you in ten minutes!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in one night? I'm on a roll!


	3. Cold Nights

The air was thick with tension as the men met up at the well. There had been no sign of Technoblade or Dream, which was extremely uncommon for them. They were always on time.

Always.

Badboyhalo was whispering with Sapnap and George as Philza walked up. He carried a large backpack filled to the brim with supplies. Extra food, torches, and health potions filled most of the pockets, but he also carried a large wool blanket since the temperature would drop quickly as it got darker.

Phil cleared his throat to gain their attention, before blowing out a stream of air, watching it freeze in front of him. 

"It's getting colder, we should head out."

The sun had set no less than fifteen minutes ago, but Phil could see skeletons at the edge of the village.

Sapnap nodded, "We know they were in or near the forest, so we should start there. George and Phil, you take the west side. Bad and I will take the east."

It was their usual way to split up while traveling. Dream and Techno preferred to travel alone, but they didn't. 

Safety in numbers.

George and Phil split off from the group, heading towards the forest. 

Sapnap tapped his ear, turning on the earpiece that he and George used to communicate.

_Can you hear me?_

"Yeah, you're coming in good," George replied, trying to keep pace with Phil.

_Good. Tell Phil to connect to Wilbur's channel in case they show up._

George relayed this to Philza, who turned on his earpiece.

"I don't have a good feeling about this, Sapnap." Bad fiddled with the strings of his hoodie, his eyes scanning the forest floor.

Sapnap smiled at him, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach. "When we find them, I'm putting Dream on dish duty for a month. That'll teach him to make us worry." The dark-haired male tried to joke.

"Yeah…" Bad trailed off, lost in thought.

As George and Philza trekked deeper into the forest, they slowly got more worried.

"Technoblade!"

"Dream!"

Their calls fell on deaf ears. 

George shivered lightly, and Philza handed him a torch.

"It's not much, but it'll keep you warm. Sapnap would kill me if you got a cold."

George huffed but grinned at him.

With the combined light of two torches, it got significantly easier to see. They passed massive oak trees, with roots that tangled and twisted deep into the earth. 

_Anything?_ Sapnap questioned.

"No," George sighed, "We haven't-"

Philza suddenly stiffened, placing his hand on George's shoulder to stop him. He held a finger to his lips before pointing further down the path.

Red eyes shone back at him.

George cursed, before arming himself with his iron sword. Philza pulled out his sword, and together they slowly approached the spider.

The spider hadn't sensed their approach yet, so George counted down from three with his fingers. When he got to one, he and Philza launched themselves from their positions and swung at the spider.

It hissed, rearing its large fangs, before attempting to pounce on Philza. It missed, and he finished it with a cut to the head. 

The spider's body writhed as Philza wiped its blood from his sword.

_-orge? George! Are you there?_

George gave Philza a thumbs up before answering Sapnap. 

"We're good. It was just a spider."

Philza zoned out as they continued their conversation, using his torch to look for signs of his friends.

After another ten minutes of walking, only disrupted by a zombie which was dealt with quickly, they reached the clearing used for sparring. 

They both began to examine the clearing, and George's stomach dropped as in the torchlight, he caught sight of Dream's backpack. He tapped Phil on the shoulder, pointing to the bag.

"Do you see Techno's?" 

There, against another tree, sat Techno's red backpack.

They both cursed, and Phil began to place torches around the clearing to help them see.

"That isn't a good sign." George shifted his weight nervously as he bent down to examine the bags.

"They could have gone back to the village."

They both knew that wasn't the case.

Then it hit them.

George's head snapped up.

"Do you smell that?"

"Smell what?"

"Blood."

Phil looked around cautiously, before paling.

He silently walked up to bush along the end of the clearing and reached his hands in.

George watched in silence as Philza pulled something out of the bush. When Phil looked up at him again, he was shaking.

"What is it?"

There, in Phil's hands, was a blood-covered crown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh. That's gonna end well.
> 
> Did one longer chapter instead of two chapters for tonight.


	4. Seeing Red

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS OF A DEAD BODY AND VIOLENCE

George cursed loudly, before grabbing Philza by the arm and pulling him backwards. Phil was gripping the crown so tightly that his hands were shaking.

"Phil, sit down." George led the taller man to a fallen log. "I'll be right back." He walked back over to the bush and began to sift through it.

George thanked god that Dream had repaired his glasses just the other day; they corrected his colorblindness and made it easier to search through the dense brush.

His hand was getting cut up from branches and he resisted the urge to pull his hand out of the thicket. Suddenly, he felt an unusual texture in the leaves. It was soft, too soft to be anything from nature. On a hunch, he grabbed it and _pulled._

It was heavier than expected, and he stumbled and fell backwards. The thing fell with him and landed on top of him.

Phil looked up to see what had caused the commotion, and immediately wished he hadn't.

George took one look at what he had pulled from the bush, before immediately scrambling away from it and emptying the contents of his stomach on the forest floor.

He managed to find the strength to look back up as a sob tore itself from Philza's throat.

Lying not three feet away from him, lay Technoblade.

The first thing George noticed was that his eyes were open. Then he noticed the blood; Techno was covered in it. It was soaked into his clothes and it stained his skin a deep brown-red.

His eyes were drawn to the arrow that was sticking out of Techno's chest. It had gone clean through him.

Philza was beside him now, checking for a pulse. He shook his friend violently as if that would wake him up.

"It won't work. He's gone." George felt a tear slip from his eye. Techno was his friend, and now he was gone.

Phil started muttering something under his breath as he held Techno close to his chest.

George snapped out of his daze long enough to realize that they needed to get Sapnap and Bad here. Now.

He held his shaking finger to the earpiece, connecting it to a Bad and Sapnap's call.

" _George? What's up?_ " Bad was the first to notice his presence in their call.

"Guys."

Bad must have picked up on the quiver in his voice because he immediately changed demeanor.

" _What's wrong? Do you need help?_ " 

"Y-you two need to get here. Now. It's bad."

" _We are on our way,_ " Sapnap assured.

George could faintly hear their footsteps through the call. Through his own tears, he watched Phil sob quietly.

"Please hurry."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uh, whoops. Gotta move the story along.


	5. Sticks and Stones

"Check their coordinates, they can't be that far away." Bad check his map, before pointing west.

"They're roughly a mile that way. If we run, we can get there in less than 10 minutes." 

Sapnap nodded, before readjusting the strap of his bag. They were lucky to not have had any problems while searching, unlike George and Philza, who had encountered a spider and god knows what else. He hoped they were okay. And maybe, just maybe, they had a lead to where Techno and Dream where.

He blew out a breath, calming himself.

"Let's go."

"I'm a big man! I could have gone with them, Wilbur!" 

Wilbur huffed, continuing to ignore Tommy in favor of listening to updates on the search for his friends.

"-bur, Will, Willy, beta male, Mr. Soot, Wilbur-"

Wilbur felt his eye twitch.

"-Soot, Mr. Wil-" Tommy continued.

"Tommy! Be quiet!" Wilbur half yelled, half pleaded. He couldn't deal with Tommy right now. Not with his nerves making it feel like he was going to explode.

Tommy looked him in the eyes, before grinning.

"No."

If looks could kill, Tommy would have been six feet under. "What do you mean, 'No?'"

Tommy wilted a little under his glare.

"I mean-" He struggled to find an answer that would save him from Wilbur's wrath.

Someone slammed the front door open. The bang echoing throughout their house.

"Wilbur~ Tommy~" Skeppy called out in a sing-song voice.

"In the kitchen, Skeppy!" Wilbur yelled back, before stopping, "Wait, how did you get in? The door was locked!" 

Skeppy smirked as he walked into the kitchen, "I have my ways."

"I'll change the lock."

Skeppy gasped while Tommy snickered.

"You wouldn't!"

"Try me!"

They joked lightheartedly for a few minutes before their conversation died off.

"So no one has seen Dream or Techno all night?" Skeppy questioned. He had known that something was wrong. Bad had left quickly, telling him that Techno and Dream had gotten themselves into trouble. What trouble? He didn't know.

"Yeah, no one's seen them since they went to spar earlier."

Tommy laughed nervously, "They probably got lost, their beta male genes make it easier for them to get lost. Unlike me, I have alpha male genes. I'd never get lost." 

It was an obvious attempt to lighten the mood. They were all worried. Tommy included, he just had an odd way of showing it. 

Sapnap and Bad raced through the forest, adrenaline fueling them. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the trees began to give way to the sparring clearing. 

As they approached the edge of the clearing, their feet pounding into the damp forest floor, Bad's foot caught on a root and he went sprawling forward.

Sapnap stopped to help him up.

"You good?"

Bad tried to place weight on his left leg, and he gasped in pain when it buckled beneath him. Sapnap caught him quickly, before helping lower him to the ground. 

He examined Bad's leg, poking, and prodding at it before sighing.

"It's broken."

"I know, you muffin!" Bad scolded, "Grab an instant healing potion from my bag, two long sticks, and some cloth." 

Sapnap did as he was told, grabbing the items needed. "What are the sticks and cloth for?"

"I need you to set up a splint, so when I take the potion my leg doesn't heal weird."

"Okay, that makes sense; tell me what to do." 

Bad grit his teeth as he adjusted the leg. It really did hurt. He began to explain how to set the splint.

When Sapnap finished, Bad was sweating despite it being cold enough that they could see their breath. He drank the potion and waited as his leg began to heal. 

While it was healing, Sapnap noticed something odd in the pathway where Bad had tripped. 

"What's that?" He asked while helping Bad to his feet.

"I don't know, maybe it's what I fell on."

While Sapnap was walking up the blockage, his torch flickered and died. He cursed, before lighting the one Bad had passed him. The flame flickered to life and they could see once again. 

When he got close enough to see what had tripped Bad, he almost dropped the torch in shock.

"Dream?!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing this is really good practice for English class. I know my teacher is going to make us write some stories for him.
> 
> Anyways, how do you guys feel about this chapter? I'm trying to move the plot along so I don't end up with a 50 chapter fic lol.
> 
> What do you think happened to Techno and Dream?


	6. Swallowing Shadows

Technoblade pushed against Dream's sword, the both of them sweating heavily. Techno swiped his blade away, before smacking the handle against Dream's hand.

Dream dropped his sword, and Techno lined his blade up against Dream's neck.

Dream laughed, startled. "Okay! I yield!"

"To defeat me, you must train another 100 years!"

Techno let Dream up, before placing his enchanted iron sword against his backpack.

"Race ya to the waterfall!" Techno took off in a sprint. "Later nerd!"

Dream huffed, placing his stuff down by Techno's and giving chase.

"Oh, Techno~" He heard Dream yell faintly.

Techno had the lead, and he cleared ground quickly. Once he could no longer hear Dream's footsteps, he stopped. He pulled out some baked potatoes, sat down, and started to eat them.

A branch snapped.

Techno's head snapped upwards, listening. He stored the rest of his food and stood up, preparing to run.

Another twig snapped, close enough that he could tell what direction it had come from.

"Dream?" His muscles tensed.

He turned to where he had heard the branches snapping, and-

Searing pain tore through his chest, and he cried out in shock. He stumbled towards, grasping at his chest. He could see blood, so much blood. It coated his clothes and hands and dripped onto the forest floor. 

He was so tired. The colors around him were swirling and mixing and there was black on the edges of his vision.

He fell forwards onto his stomach and the darkness swallowed him.

Sapnap dropped to his knees, Bad following behind him.

"Dream?" Bad pushed Sapnap over, lightly, as he examined him.

Dream's mask was cracked and bloody, exposing some of the skin underneath. His hoodie was covered in dirt and blood and his skin was cold. Dream's dirty blond hair was sticky with dried blood. Bad's fingers raced rapidly over his skin, checking for a pulse, but knowing it was no use. 

There was an arrow embedded in the skin right below his neck; the end of the arrow stuck out roughly 10 inches.

"Bad?" Sapnap sounded terrified.

He shook his head, "I can't do anything. He's already gone."

"W-what?" His voice cracked, "This is Dream we are talking about! He's unbeatable! He can't be gone!"

Bad felt tears well up in his eyes. There had to be something he could do!

An idea formed.

"Sapnap, pass me one of those healing potions!"

Sapnap passed the potion, and Bad frantically forced Dream's mouth open, before pouring the potion in.

"Will that work?"

"It might." It had to.

Sapnap must have sensed the doubt in his voice because he stood from where he was kneeling and hugged Bad. The hug was brief, but it comforted him.

They waited for any signs of life in their friend. A rising of his chest, a finger twitching, anything.

Nothing happened.

They waited longer.

"Oh, God." Bad sobbed. Dream was dead. _Dream was dead. Dreamwasdead_.

Sapnap came to the same idea, and he hung his head, placing his hand on Dream's shoulder. Tears streamed down his face as he turned to Bad.

"We need to find George and Phil. They need to know."

"Later nerd!" He heard Techno yell as he disappeared into the trees.

After setting his things down, he raced after his friend. He could clearly see the path Techno took through the trees, so he changed directions so he could cut him off.

"Oh, Techno~" He called out, smiling as he ran. If he sped up, he could cut off Techno before he crossed the bridge. So he did just that.

He heard Techno's footsteps stop, so he slowed down, stepping on the softer ground as to not make noise.

_Thunk_

He heard Techno cry out in surprise. Had he scared himself? It wouldn't have been a first.

_Thud_

Something fell. A sinking feeling formed in his stomach he approached where he last heard his friend.

"Techno?" He took a few steps forward.

He stopped suddenly. Something caught his eye. He scanned the trees for it again.

_Thunk_

Something hit him. It hurt. He grabbed at it and tugged. The pain amplified. He sunk to the floor, choking on something. He coughed into his hand. Blood.

That wasn't good. He coughed again. More blood.

Something towered over him as his vision began to fade. Dream tried to get up, but everything was so fuzzy and he was so tired.

He managed to gurgle out one thing from his ruined throat.

"W-Who are you?" He took a deep breath and-

Everything disappeared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longer chapter today! I hope you guys enjoy it. Updates may slow down, as I start school tomorrow, but I'll try to be quick!


	7. Cold Nights

Tommy was sharpening the iron sword that Techno had given him on his 16th birthday when he heard a crash come from downstairs. 

_What the?_

He carefully set the blade down on his bed and made his way down the stairs.

"Wilbur? You good?"

Wilbur was frantically stuffing his backpack with supplies as he looked up at Tommy.

"Y-yeah, I'm good Tommy. Go back to your room." He dismissed Tommy quickly, before going back to packing things in his bag.

Tommy was a little taken aback by Wilbur's response.

"Where are you going?"

"Out."

"Can I come?"

Wilbur looked him in his eyes. "No." There was an unusual hardness to his voice.

"Why not?"

"I said so."

"That's not a reason." 

"Go back to your room, Tommy." Wilbur snapped, and Tommy actually felt compelled to listen to his friend, but something felt wrong.

He devised a plan.

Tommy quietly walked back to his room. He waited until he heard the front door slam shut, then he packed his own bag.

Skeppy had left not 20 minutes ago, so Wilbur wouldn't be visiting him. Bad, Sapnap, George and Phil were still looking for Techno and Dream-

Wait.

Tommy finished packing his bag and connected to a call with his friend Tubbo.

Tubbo answered immediately.

"Tubbo! My man! I'm going on an adventure!"

" _Oh really_?" Came Tubbo's sleepy reply.

"Yeah! I can't tell you what it is in case someone is listening, but it's going to be fun."

Tommy grabbed his bag and exited out the front door, and he realized that he could still make out Wilbur's silhouette in the night.

_This would be easier than he thought._

Tommy kept his footsteps light as he followed Wilbur. He muted himself from Tubbo's call. 

He managed to pick up some of Wilbur's conversation. He could barely hear it, and what he could didn't make sense.

"...you sure?"

"...back at the house…"

"...can't be!"

Wilbur stopped suddenly, and Tommy stiffened.

Tommy watched as Wilbur threw something at a tree, confused. He could see Wilbur's shoulder shaking slightly. 

Now that he had time to think, it was pretty cold, Tommy decided as he started to shiver.

Wilbur started to walk again, but this time, he was basically running. Tommy struggled to keep close to him while still trying to remain hidden. He knew if he was caught now he would be sent back home.

Wilbur ran through the sparring path, passing the remains of a spider. Tommy gritted his chattering teeth and kept pace. It was a miracle that Wilbur hadn't caught him yet.

Tommy watched as Wilbur lifted his hands to this mouth, before yelling out "George! Phil! Where are you?"

An answering call of "Over here!" was heard, but Tommy was more focused on the fact that Wilbur had probably just managed to alert every mob in the area to their presence.

Wilbur turned to where he had heard George, oblivious to the skeleton to his left.

Tommy realized with horror that Wilbur would not be able to see the skeleton until it was too late.

He watched as the skeleton readied it's bow, pointing it straight at his friend.

Wilbur still hadn't seen it, and Tommy panicked.

It seemed to happen in slow motion.

Tommy leaped out from his hiding spot, running past the skeleton and tackling an unsuspecting Wilbur to the ground. 

He heard the arrow fly right by his ear.

"Skeleton." He hissed in Wilbur's ear, "To my left. Point your bow and fire."

Wilbur actually did what he said, which must have been hard because Wilbur was lying on the floor, and Tommy watched as the skeleton disappeared into dust.

Wilbur shoved Tommy off of him, leaping up immediately.

Tommy gulped as he saw Wilbur's face full of anger.

_Oops_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's Tommy time. Looks like he did an oopsie.


	8. Everything Pulses

"What are you doing?!" Wilbur snarled, "You are supposed to be at home!"

"I'm following you!"

"I can see that!" Wilbur paused, "You should have stayed home." 

There was something off in Wilbur's voice, underneath the anger was something else. Tommy didn't know what it was, but it scared him.

He opened his eyes and the first thing he felt was pain.

He was lying on his back on the forest floor.

The pain burned throughout his body, leaving him breathless. He tried to push himself into a sitting position, but the pain amplified, and he fell back to the ground, biting back a cry of pain.

_What happened?_

He looked for the source of the excruciating pain and found it immediately.

There was an arrow embedded in his chest.

_Oh._

Then everything came rushing back.

Sparring with Dream. Racing in the forest. 

The arrow. His vision going dark.

There was no way he should be alive. The arrow was directly over his heart. 

So how had he survived?

"Techno?"

Someone yelled his name, at first he was too lost in his own thoughts to respond. Then it clicked.

"Dream?!"

A gasp.

Footsteps.

Technoblade stared at Dream as he entered the clearing.

_There was an arrow in his neck!_

__

__

_How was he alive_?!

"Uh, Dream?" Techno began.

"Shh." Dream quieted him, somehow speaking when _there was an arrow in his throat_ , before staring down at Techno's chest. "So they got you, too."

The gears in Techno's head were turning. The wounds they had sustained were fatal.

"Wait-"

It dawned on him.

"We're dead?!"

George turned to Philza.

"Wilbur is almost here. Do you want to be the one to meet him or should I go?"

"No, no, I'll go." Philza dragged his hand over his face, successfully wiping away tears.

"Are you sure?" George was concerned for his friend. Philza had taken time to recollect himself, and then they had wrapped Techno up in a blanket that Phil had. 

"I-I'm sure." Phil's voice cracked, but he tried to cover it up.

George nodded, and Phil stood up and began walking in the direction they had heard Wilbur.

George waited until Phil was out of sight, and then he connected to Bad and Sapnap's line.

"Guys."

It took a second for them to respond.

"Yeah?" Sapnap's voice was off.

George tried to think of a way to tell them about Techno, but couldn't find the right wording.

"Techno is dead." It was harsh, but he didn't know what else to say. How did you tell someone their friend was dead? That you didn't even know what (or who) killed them.

"What?" Bad exclaimed.

"Not him too!" Sapnap almost yelled.

"What?" George was confused. What did Sapnap mean by 'him too'?

"George-" Bad started after a few seconds of silence. "George, Dream is dead."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part one of the update I will be posting through the next few days.
> 
> How are you guys doing? 
> 
> What's your opinion on this chapter?


	9. Whispering Vines

Techno could tell Dream was staring at him through his mask.

"Yes, we are." He said awkwardly. How do you tell someone that they are dead?

"Oh."

Dream contemplated asking his friend if he knew who had shot them, but he stopped when he realized that Techno was still laying on the ground.

"Can you stand?"

Techno shook his head, before pushing his pink hair out of his face. "Hurts too much."

_Oh yeah_.

"You can make it stop hurting." He pointed to his neck, "Just imagine the pain going away. It worked for me." It worked for him after trying at least fifty times.

Techno closed his eyes, focusing. After a few minutes, the pain ebbed away, and he opened them again, before sighing in relief. He stood on shaky legs before turning again to Dream.

"How did you figure that out?" 

Dream gave an uncertain smile. "Luck."

For some reason, neither of them were affected by being killed. Personality-wise, at least.

Physically, they looked and felt horrible.

They were both covered in blood, and they both sported a black arrow in their body. Their bodies seemed oddly transparent. Techno could see the treeline through Dream.

"So, we're ghosts now?" Techno wasn't angry at this, he was more saddened. Would his friends even know he was dead?

He looked around the forest clearing, eyes scanning the treeline. A flash of unnatural blue caught his eye.

George?

George looked like he had been crying, his eyes were red and puffy, and he kept wiping them with his hands.

Dream turned to look where Techno was starting and gasped.

"George!" He called out, his words echoing throughout the forest.

George didn't react, he just kept walking. Dream ran in front of him, with Techno right behind.

Dream waved his hand in front of George's face, hoping for some kind of response from his friend.

"George!" No reaction.

George mumbled something to himself before he stumbled and fell, fresh tears coming out of his eyes. Dream and Techno stared in mute shock at their friend.

George seemed to regain his composure; he stood up again and started back the way he came.

Techno turned back to Dream, noting that his friend had paled considerably. 

"He can't see us." Dream's voice was low as he laughed cynically.

Wilbur had stopped yelling at Tommy a few minutes ago, and now they were walking quietly. He still didn't know where they were going, and he tensed when he heard a rustling coming from a bush. Wilbur tensed too, and they turned to the sound, readying their weapons.

The rustling became louder, and they raised their weapons. A green hat poked out from the bush, and they faltered.

A body followed the green hat and the duo lowered their weapons.

"Phil?"

"Yeah, it's me." 

"We thought you were a mob!" 

Phil turned quickly to Tommy, then back to Wilbur.

"Why is Tommy here?"

"He-" Wilbur started.

"I wanted to see why you guys were sneaking around!"

Phil's gaze softened.

"He followed me. I didn't know." Wilbur finished.

Wilbur and Phil shared a meaningful look.

"Tommy, we need to tell you something." Philza's voice was low.

Tommy looked at both his friends. Well, more like family. "What's going on?" He had known them so long that he could tell when something was off, like when his jokes annoyed Wilbur or when Techno had had a bad looting run.

"Tommy, Techno was killed." 

The words didn't register.

"Can you say that again? I don't think I heard you correctly." Tommy laughed nervously. He faintly felt Wilbur place his hand on his shoulder, but he didn't react.

"Techno's dead, Tommy."

"W-what?" Tommy stammered, the words that came out of Philza's mouth didn't make any sense! Techno, his brother in all but blood, was dead?

Tommy stared at the two men he considered family. They wouldn't joke about this. He knew they wouldn't.

He tried to say something, to form a sentence, but all that he got out was "How?".

Phil blanched and Wilbur turned to face him.

"Arrow."

Arrow? There was no way Technoblade had been taken down by a skeleton!

"T-that's impossible! A skeleton taking down the mighty Technoblade?" He could feel a sob rising in his throat, and he tried his best to push it down. He failed, and he immediately felt Phil and Wilbur wrap their arms around him.

Sobs racked his frame, and he felt his friends hug him tighter. They stood like that for a while, before Tommy regained his composure and wiped away the tears that stained his cheeks.

He faintly heard Wilbur and Phil whispering to each other, but he didn't care.

He felt one of them - Philza - begin to lead him back the way he and Wilbur had come, while Wilbur walked the direction Phil had come from.

"Wait! Where are we going?"

"I'm taking you home. You don't need to be out here, you need to be home." Tommy understood the hidden meaning. ' _You don't need to see his body'_.

"Just- just tell me this one thing. What happened?" He felt Phil stiffen next to him.

"It wasn't a mob."

"What?" Tommy startled. Not a mob?

"We think that whatever attacked him was human."

Tommy could feel his pulse in his throat. He felt clammy and cold; panic pulsed throughout his veins.

"H-human?" He stuttered out. If whoever attacked Techno was human, that meant it was deliberate.

Phil nodded, "It's not safe outside right now…" He trailed off, lifting his hand to his ear and pressing on his earpiece.

Phil stopped walking and swore loudly. Tommy turned to him confused and bit back a yelp when Phil grabbed him by the shoulder and started rushing him back to their house.

Tommy had trouble keeping pace, he was fast, but Phil was faster. "What happened?" Something had made Philza even more panicked. What had he heard?

"We need to get you inside right now!" Philza said in between deep breaths. They took a sharp turn, the lights of their house appearing in their view. They were sprinting now, puffs of frosty breath following them.

"Bad and Sapnap found Dream." Phil took the last turn on the path that led them to their house. 

"That's a good thing, right?" They found Dream, and Dream would know what happened with Techno because they were together. They rushed up the steps to the house.

"No." Phil bit out, pushing the button that opened their front door. Tommy thought for a split second, that he was glad he had left the front door unlocked, before he pushed the thought from his brain. He pushed open the door, a rush of warm air blowing over him.

"They found Dream dead, Tommy." Tommy stopped in the doorway, Phil behind him. Dream's dead?

He turned to face Phil, but Phil was pushing him further inside the house. Nothing was making sense. This had to be a bad dream, a nightmare. 

He would wake up and his family would be together again. He squeezed his eyes shut and pinched his arm.

He opened his eyes.

Phil was staring at him, concern painting his face.

"This is real, isn't it?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longer chapter for tonight! I hope you guys enjoy it! I'm working on something really special for this AU. ;)
> 
> On another note, how would you guys feel about a MCYT Among Us fic?


	10. Suffocating Nightmares

While Tommy was still numb with shock, Philza led him to his room. Phil noted how his hands shook slightly as he opened Tommy's door. His mind was still struggling to process the events of the night. Techno, who was basically his son, and Dream, who he had known for years, were dead.

Phil's body was on autopilot as he brought Tommy to his bed. Tommy laid down on his bed, his movements robotic in nature, and stared at the ceiling. 

Philza left the room, shutting the door quietly behind him. He hoped Tommy would get some sleep, but he doubted anyone would.

He went to the kitchen and looked out the window. The sun wouldn't start to rise for another few hours, but he could still make out his friends returning on the horizon.

He knew what they were carrying. He wanted to deny it. He wanted to wake up in bed, knowing his family was safe, 

But all he could do was stare as he watched his friends carry blanket-wrapped bodies. They would start the funerals when the sun rose.

Philza could make out faint tear tracks on Wilbur's face, and he turned away from the window as a tear escaped his eye.

  
  
  


Tommy was surrounded by his friends. They were together again.

Wilbur was at the head of the table, passing silverware to Techno, who was engaged in a conversation with Philza. He basked in the warmth from the lit fireplace as he analyzed his friend's faces.

Everyone was so happy, so why did it feel wrong?

He faintly heard Techno mention something about a bow and arrow-

**_Too still. Eyes wide open. Blood._ **

Tommy jerked upwards but squeezed his eyes shut.

**_A cry of surprise._ **

**_"W-who are you?"_ **

**_Choking._ **

He forced his eyes open.

Everything was dark.

" _ Tommy? Tommy! _ " 

Who was there?

" _ Tommy, wake up! _ " Someone was yelling at him. They sounded familiar.

There. A faint glow from the side of his vision.

He turned to it.

Techno was in front of him, staring. He wasn't wearing his usual robe, and it made him look smaller. His undershirt was covered in blood, and Tommy could make out the arrow that had ended his life sticking out of his chest.

Dream was beside him, his mask covering his face. He looked like he was speaking, but when he opened his mouth blood would pour out, flowing down his jaw and onto his hoodie. Instead of words, Dream was choking on blood.

Techno looked over at his friend, concerned. He turned to face Tommy again, exposing his too-pale skin and glossed over eyes.

" **You need to wake up** ."

He couldn't breathe.

He tried to get air in his lungs, but the pressure on his chest stopped him from doing so. He lifted his hands to his neck, scratching and clawing at the skin.

His lungs started to burn, and he wheezed desperately. His vision was dimming, and he could feel his strength draining.

And then he was cold.

  
  


Tommy shot upwards, his hands instantly going to his neck. Someone tried to grab his hands, and he flinched backwards. He couldn't see. Why couldn't he see?!

"Tommy! Tommy, it's just Phil and me! You're okay, you're okay. You need to open your eyes."

_ What? _

Tommy hesitantly opened his eyes and drew in a deep breath, gulping in oxygen as quick as his body would let him. 

Wilbur stood over him, holding an empty bucket, a panicked expression on his face.

"What was that?" Philza's voice came from across the room. His voice quivered slightly, betraying his calm attitude.

Tommy didn't know.

His mind slowly cleared, and he realized that he had had a nightmare. He looked down at his bed and his clothes, which was soaking wet.

"Did you," He laughed nervously, "throw water on me?"

He watched Wilbur's eyes darken.

"You were choking yourself." Phil's voice was shaky 

"Oh."

His neck hurt. He pulled his hand away and saw blood.

**_"Techno?"_ **

**_He spat out blood._ **

**_So much blood._ **

"-ommy! Tommy!"

Tommy shivered.

"What?"

"You spaced out. Are you sure you're okay?"

Tommy noticed the dark bags under his friend's eyes. Their eyes were red-rimmed and they both looked exhausted.

He swallowed. 

"Yeah, I'm fine, just a bad dream."

Neither of them looked convinced.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...Among Us fic? ;)
> 
> I'm also drafting a L'manberg AU, it's gonna be very angsty because I suck at writing fluff smh.
> 
> I may not be able to write for the next week, as I am doing a social media break for my English class to help my writing grade (ironic, I know). I basically can't go on social media for a week and ao3 counts as social media. I'll have to see if my English teacher will allow writing.
> 
> Do you guys like this chapter? It was fun to write. Anything you want to see specifically? Anyone you want to see?


	11. Fire in my Brain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS TECHNO AND DREAM'S POV OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS I'M SORRY IF IT'S CONFUSING HHHHH

Technoblade and Dream were lost in silent thought. They had followed George and watched as he met up with Wilbur, observing their friend's reactions in silence.

Dream was the first one to break the silence.

"So what now?" He had tried to get Wilbur's attention after Techno had tried, and got no response. 

Techno turned to face him. Wilbur and George headed deeper into the woods as their ghostly friends followed. 

"I'm not sure. Can anyone see us? Do you remember any books on ghosts in school?" 

Dream shook his head, and Techno wished he could see his friend's expression under his mask. Dream's mask was cracked, exposing his right eye, Techno noted, and he sighed.

"I can barely remember the ones I've read. Something about a True Soul, but I can't remember what that was."

"A True Soul? I've heard that somewhere." Dream scratched his hair under his hoodie. He grimaced under his mask. Dry blood coated his clothes, and he was surprised he could speak with an arrow in his throat. That was something for later. If there was a later.

Wilbur and George arrived in a small clearing. Dream felt a shiver run down his spine. Why did this seem familiar? 

Further in the clearing sat Sapnap and Bad. They had a thin blanket covering a mass on the ground. Dream quickly realized what was under the blanket when he saw the faint tear tracks running down Sapnaps's face. 

_Oh._

He saw Techno glance at him while shaking his head lightly. Dream was still with shock from the display of grief from his friend. He didn't think he had ever seen Sapnap cry. 

They watched as George ran over to his friends, quickly falling to his knees. Wilbur was slowly following him, an unreadable expression on his face. Techno stood back and watched as Dream walked towards his friends; Dream attempted to lay his hand on George's shoulder, only for it to phase through his body. 

Techno turned away. He couldn't watch this. He didn't want to watch Wilbur lead them to his body. He didn't want to see Tommy and Phil's reactions to his death. He didn't want to be dead. He didn't want to be a ghost. He wanted to see Phil smile softly at him when he came back home from a long day of farming potatoes. He wanted to watch Wilbur and Tommy bicker over who was more manly. He wanted that feeling of home and safety that washed over him whenever he saw their faces.

The world started to spin rapidly. Techno gasped in shock and squeezed his eyes shut. There was a strange feeling of wrong before the dizziness subsided and Techno opened his eyes.

He didn't know where he was. It seemed like a room devoid of all light. The air felt thick and heavy. 

In front of him stood Tommy, and to his side stood Dream. Techno noted that his usual royal robe was missing and the arrow in his chest was more pronounced. Dream looked confused, and he opened his mouth to speak. Techno cringed when only blood came out.

Tommy looked petrified, and Techno attempted to console him, even though he had no idea what was happening. Tommy was his little brother in all but blood, it was instinct. 

But the words that came out of his mouth were not his.

" **You need to wake up**."

Techno did not recognize the voice, but his confusion was pushed away as he watched Tommy sink to the ground clutching his throat.

"Tommy?!" He tried to get to his little brother, the urge to help coursing through his veins. He couldn't move.

He cried out as black tendrils began to cover Tommy, snarling and attempting to fight whatever was holding him down.

Dream was doing the same, and they both stared in horror as the ground seemed to consume Tommy.

Then suddenly the dizziness came back and they were gone. Freed from the abyss but left startled and confused. 

What was that?

A vision? An odd side effect of being a ghost? 

What happened to Tommy? Who's voice came from Techno's mouth? Techno couldn't tell if it was deep or high, feminine or manly.

Techno's robe was still missing, which was strange, as it had been there before they were transported to the room that held Tommy. Techno turned to Dream before noticing the change in scenery. They were no longer in the forest. The messy room in front of them confirmed that. 

This was Tommy's room. Sunlight was starting to stream through the windows, illuminating Tommy's bed. It was not even close to being morning when they had been transported to that room. How long were they there? It had felt like minutes.

They stood there in mild shock for a second before noticing the scene playing out in front of them. 

Wilbur was standing in the corner, clenching a bucket in a death grip. Philza was standing over Tommy.

Tommy, whose neck was covered in superficial scratches, was shivering and soaking wet.

"-sure you're okay?" Philza was speaking in his fatherly tone. Techno watched as Tommy observed his remaining family before answering.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just a bad dream."

Techno immediately grew suspicious; he knew Tommy. He knew that when Tommy had nightmares he would never admit to having them, but Techno would always find him nestled up in bed with him when he woke up. Techno would always lie still until Tommy woke up, then he would quietly ask Tommy if he wanted to talk about it. Tommy would always shake his head and quickly leave the room, then he would go on his day acting normally. Techno wasn't upset by this behavior; he was glad that Tommy came to him when he was upset.

So this was unlike Tommy. Techno felt a pang in his chest when he realized that he would never get to experience that again.

He wanted to test something, though.

He turned to Dream, making a 'watch this' motion with his hands.

He stared directly at his littlest brother.

"Tommy?"

Tommy's head snapped upwards; Techno swore they made eye contact.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this chapter makes up for my absence. I'm going to try to update more frequently, but we'll see if that actually happens. 
> 
> C and K, if you see this, hello!
> 
> Thank you to the L30 Enchantments discord for their help!


	12. We Have Hope

_ Can he see us _ ?

It was a possibility. 

Techno was about to open his mouth, but before he could Phil and Wilbur ushered Tommy out of bed. Tommy was still looking directly at him.

"Can he see us?" Dream's questioned Techno quietly.

Tommy looked down at the ground as he followed Phil and Wilbur out of the room. The door shut softly behind them.

"I-I think he could."

"Why didn't he say anything?"

"I'm not sure."

Tommy always said what was on his mind. It was what everyone expected after being around him for so long. Techno sat silently in thought, staring at where Tommy had been laying. 

  
  
  


Tommy didn't want to face his family. Or what remained of his family. He was still shaken up from the nightmare. He had never had one that bad before. His brain had come up with horrible visions of how Techno and Dream had died. There was no way that they had been killed so gruesomely. Tommy shuddered as he thought of the blood that had run down Dream's chin. There was no wa-

"Tommy?"  _ Techno _ ?

Tommy looked up. He swore he just heard Techno, but that was impossible. Techno and Dream were laying cold in the town morgue. 

Tommy winced at the thought of his brother laying on the cold metal tables. He deserved more than that. Dream did, too. He continued to look at the corner where he swore he heard his brother.

Was that his imagination, or had something moved?

There was a faint shimmer that partially blocked the light. 

He had to be seeing things. He tore his gaze away, following his adoptive brother and dad out of his room. They had a town meeting to attend.

  
  
  


Tommy was sitting on the edge of the sink as Phil cleaned the scratches on his neck with alcohol. It stung, and Phil apologized every time he ran the cloth over the wounds.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Tommy remembered waking up late at night from a nightmare. He remembered walking through the dark to Techno's room. He remembered getting into bed with Techno and falling asleep to his soft snores. He remembered waking up to Techno asking him if he wanted to talk about his dreams. He remembered-

"Tommy?" Phil snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Huh?"

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

Philza sighed as he put away the antiseptic. 

"I won't force you to talk about it, Tommy, but you're hurting yourself. I don't know what would have happened if Wil hadn't heard you." Wilbur had run into the kitchen, panicked, startling Phil. All he had said was 'It's Tommy', and they were both rushing up the stairway to Tommy's room. 

They had found him with his hands around his neck, sobbing loudly in his sleep. They tried to wake him up with no success and panicking, Wilbur had run out into the bathroom and gotten a bucket of water before throwing it on Tommy. It had finally woken him up.

Tommy seemed to shrink inward. He mumbled something.

"How did they die?"

Phil sputtered for a second. He didn't want to tell Tommy how gruesome his older brother and his friend's death had been. He turned to Wilbur, who was leaning against the doorframe, silently begging for help.

"Arrows, Tommy." Wilbur supplied, and Phil watched him turn to subtly wipe a tear from his eye.

"Where?"

"In the forest. It's not safe there right now. We need to figure out what happened."

Tommy knew that. They didn't understand what he was asking them.

"No, where were the arrows?"

Tommy watched as they both paled, and Phil turned away.

Wilbur opened his mouth to answer but nothing came out.

"I think I saw them." Tommy's voice was so quiet Phil could hardly hear it, "Dream was shot in the neck and Techno in the chest."

Phil immediately looked up. "How do you know that?"

Wilbur was staring at Tommy, too, but his gaze was more curious.

"I told you. I saw it."

"Saw it where?" Wilbur's voice held a note of caution.

"I-In my dream."

Tommy looked up in confusion as Wilbur rushed out of the bathroom. Where was he going?

Tommy and Phil sat in shocked silence until Wilbur came running back, holding a thick dusty book in his hands. Tommy didn't recognize the book, but Phil obviously did.

"You don't think-"

"It adds up."

"The bloodline died out years ago."

"Maybe it didn't." 

Tommy listened, his confusion growing along with his agitation. 

"What are you guys talking about?!" His voice was harsher than he expected, but it got their attention. 

Wilbur and Phil turned to him, and Wilbur opened the book to a page and handed it to him. 

The book was heavier than he anticipated, and it smelt like pine needles and firewood.

"What does that page say, Tommy?"

Tommy stared at him like he was insane. The page didn't say anything. 

But as he stared at it, words began to bleed onto the thick paper in thick black ink. He almost dropped the book in shock, but he was mesmerized by the words forming on the pages.

**_'Those who read these pages have the ability to see what others cannot. They are the True_ ** .'

He repeated the words, and as he said them, he watched his family's faces light up.

"No way..." Wilbur muttered while Phil stared at Tommy with newfound hope. "We need to tell the others!"

"Tell them what?" Tommy was still very confused, but he really liked how the book felt in his hands. It was almost like he was being drawn to it.

"Tommy, you're a True Soul!" Tommy had no idea what that was, but it sounded important. He thought he had heard Dream mention something about that before, but it was lost to the sands of time. It hurt to think of Techno and Dream, knowing that he would never see them again.

"What does that mean?"

They must have sensed his confusion, as Phil grasped him by the shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes.

"It means we have hope."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooh a lore chapter?
> 
> I hope this satisfies you guys for tonight. It was really fun to write!
> 
> Also, 16k hits POG
> 
> Thank you so much for your support!! :D


	13. J #01

_ We are being followed. _

_ It's a game of cat and mouse. _

_ They burnt everything. _

_ They pick us off with their dark arrows and blue swords. _

_ We lost D and S last week. They had stayed back to protect our home, promising to meet at the Tree. _

_ We found their bodies with the others.  _

_ There are 5 of us left. S is injured. He may not make it. _

_ A is sick. She's losing strength quickly. _

_ The moon is full. If we are doing this, it has to be tonight. _

_ We may not make it to tomorrow. _

_ Whoever finds this after us, stay strong. Prevail. _

_ Remember. You are True. _

_ -P _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Things are starting to pick up!


	14. Far From Home

The message appeared in front of him, black ink formed and stayed.

Tommy repeated the words in his mind, willing them to stay.

“Can you see this?” Tommy asked, dread settling in his stomach. He felt Phil remove his hand from his shoulder. He felt Wilbur behind him.

“No, Tommy. We can’t. That’s how we know you are a True Soul.” Wilbur spoke up from behind him.

“But what does that even mean?!” Tommy was growing increasingly irritated.

“It means you can see ghosts!” Wil’s excited voice betrayed his greif.

“What?!” Tommy practically screamed as he hugged the book closer to his chest.

“True Souls were powerful mediums who had the ability to see ghosts. Few could control certain elements and even fewer could walk in the Spirit World.”

Tommy was stunned. Maybe he was still dreaming? No, the pain in his neck was too real. 

“So….I could see Techno and Dream?”

Wilbur averted his gaze. “We aren’t completely sure. Not all people who die become ghosts….”

Tommy was trying to listen to Wilbur, he really was! But something in the corner of the bathroom caught his eye. There was an odd silhouette in the corner. The slightest amount of fear settled in his stomach. He slid off the counter and walked over it, as in a trance.

“Tommy?” Philza’s voice cut through the haze he was in. His tone implied his name had been called many times.

He turned to face his father and brother and walked back over. He hesitantly sent a glance back over to the corner, but the shape was gone.

\------

Dream and Techno had the same reaction. Cries of shock followed by stunned silence as they watched the scene in front of them unfold. 

_ So that's why True Souls seemed familiar.  _ Dream noted at the same time and Techno thought:  _ Can Tommy see us? _

Techno was the only one to voice his thoughts, though.

“It’s a possibility.” Dream’s voice was soft, as if he was afraid Tommy would hear.

Techno examined himself and Dream, noting the blood and gore.

“We would scare him.” Techno sounded disappointed. He would never want to scare Tommy.

“Maybe I can help with that.” An unfamiliar voice came from behind them.

Technoblade and Dream turned around swiftly. Standing behind them was a tall man with dark brown hair and sunglasses, wearing a seemingly royal cape and a crown. His skin had the same transparent look to it. He wore a small smirk as he waved at the ghosts.

“Who the hell are you?” Dream bit out.

“I’m Eret, I’m British and my most notable feature is my deep voice.” Techno and Dream were confused by this information, but he was right, Eret’s voice was deep.

“What?” Technoblade voiced his confusion.

Eret let out a nervous chuckle. He sensed the hostility in the air. He cursed inwardly. Of course two newly made ghosts would be angry and confused.

“Let’s try this again. I’m Eret. I’m a ghost, like you, and I can help.”

Eret turned to the scene unfolding in front of him. “Is that your family?”

“My family, not his.” Techno spoke, pointing to Dream. “Why?”

“Well, the younger one is a True Soul, Right?” Eret casually took off his sunglasses and began to clean them on his cape. Instead of pupils, his eyes were completely white. It was unnerving.

Techno hesitated. “Yes, he is.” He answered. He figured he could trust the man. It’s not like he could take the both of them in a fight.

“Do you know what that means?” Eret noticed them shifting uncomfortably under his gaze. He sighed. “Sorry, I forget sometimes. Creeper explosion, not pretty.” He replaced his glasses, but his form seemed to waver and be replaced with a bloody version of himself. 

“It means he can see ghosts, right? He could see us?” Techno’s deep monotone voice for once actually seemed hopeful.

“Well, in theory, yes. There hasn’t been a True Soul seen alive in at least 16 years.” Eret pointed to Tommy, “He’s the only one I’ve seen alive.”

“How have they died?” Techno grew concerned for his youngest brother. He didn’t know what he would do if Tommy died.

“We aren’t sure.”

“We?” Dream spoke up, stepping closer to Eret.

“The other ghosts!”

Techno had grown oddly quiet, so Dream tried to keep the conversation going.

“What other ghosts?

Eret opened his mouth to answer, but stopped when Tommy slid off the counter and walked right up to Technoblade, his eyes growing a ghostly blue. 

“Tommy?” Techno’s voice was barely a whisper. Dream faintly registered Phil calling Tommy’s name.

Tommy reached out like he was going to touch Techno, but before he could Phil called his name louder and he turned away. Techno seemed to wilt a little. He missed his family.

Eret broke through the scene by clearing his throat.

“We should go. We need to help you hide your wounds before he can fully see you. Trust me, it’ll be easier for him.”

“But…” Techno trailed off, and Dream swore he saw tears in his eyes.

“Grab my hand.” Eret held his hands out, and they took his hands.

The lights in the room seemed to grow brighter and brighter, until they ghosts couldn't see anything but white. A sudden feeling of weightlessness came over them and their feet left the floor. After what felt like an eternity, they felt ground under their feet again.

Their sight came back to them, and they stumbled slightly. 

“Where are we?” Dream questioned, looking around.

“This is our home!”

The room they were in was slightly run down, with dust coating every surface. Light came through a shuddered window. A dark wood made up the floor, and the room was filled with old pictures and paintings. There was a slight musty smell, like old books.

“Wait, I know where this is!” Techno turned to Dream. “It’s that ‘haunted house’ that Tommy and Tubbo went to! Ya know, the one at the end of the village!”

“You actually let them go?”

“I didn’t, they snuck off.” Phil had been angry with the boys because of that, Techno recalled.

Eret smiled. “I remember that.”

Dream and Techno startled as if they forgot he was there.

They faced him and saw two other ghosts behind him. 

A short girl with long blonde hair and wire rimmed glasses and a man who was almost as tall as Techno with red hair and fake fox ears on his head.

“Hello!” The girl grinned. “Welcome to our home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M ALIVE
> 
> IT'S BEEN SO LONG, MY FRIENDS!!
> 
> You should totally check out my two other fics, We Got Fire and Whispers Forgotten!!
> 
> :D


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